Folding rocking-chair



Dec. 1l, 1928.

L, P. WALKER ET AL FOLDING RocKING CHAIR Filed Nov. so, 1925 `2 sneet-sneet Dec. 11, 1928. 1,694,933

L. P. WALKER ET AL .FOLDING ROCKING CHAIR Filed NOV- 50, 1925 2 SheeS-Shee(l 2 Patented Dec. 11.1928.

1,694,933y PATENT oFF1cE. l

LEWIS I. WALKER,- HARTFORD, AND LEO O. BERGMANN, 0F COLOMA, MICHIGAN'.v

' FOLDING BOOKING-CHAIR.

v Application led November 30, 1925, Serial No. 72,211.

This invention relates to folding rocking chairs, of the kind in which ay folding frame is provided and so constructed .thatthe occupant thereof may, in effect, rock back and forth, but without'the necessity of employing actual rockers for the chair.

Generally stated, the object of the invention is to provide a folding rocking-chair of the foregoing general character, having-.improved means for insuring a satisfactory folding thereof, for storage or transportation, and having means for limiting or controlling the rocking motion, thereby to render the chair safe against collapse or tipping over while in use.

It isalso an object to provide certain details and features of construction and combinations tending to increase the general eiiiciency and the desirability of a folding rocking-chair of this particular character.

To the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists in the vmatters hereinafter set forth and claimedsand shown in the accompanying drawing, in which,-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation ofl a folding rocking-chair embodying the principles of the invention, showing the same in its forward position.

Fig. 2 is a plan of the said chair.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing the chair entirely folded up for storage or transportation.

Fig. 4 is a vertical, longitudinal section of the chair, showing the chair in its rearward position.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section on line 5 5" in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view.

Fig. 7 -is a detail sectional view showing another form ofthe invention. A

Fig. 8 is a transverse section on line 8-8 in Fig. 7.

As th`us illustrated, the invention comprises, as shown in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, the upright inner side members 1, which are rigidly connected by transverse members 2 and 3 near the upper and lower ends thereof. Inclined side members 4 are rovided outside ofthe members 1, and are rigidly connected together by the transverse members 5, 6 and 7, in the manner shown. The members 6 and i 7 form the seat, or the front portion thereof.

Arm members 8 are pivoted at 9 on the members 1, and arm supporting members 10 are pivoted at 11 on the members 4, as shown, and the members 8 and 10 are connected together,

at each side, bya hinge 12, as shown. In Fig. 1 the arms have reached the articulated limit,

obviously, of their unfolding or straightening movement, as the upper end of the'member 10 is against the underside of the member 8, forming a4 stop. The arms thus buckle upwardly to permit 'the backward rocking motion of the chair. Relatively short side bars 13 are pivoted at 14 on the members 1, and at 15 on the-members 4, as shown. An upper back extension is formed by the side members 16, 'which are pivoted upon the inner sides of the members 1 at 17, and which are connected together by transverse members 18 and 19, thus forming a head rest for the back. This head rest is held in operative position by the pins 2O on the springs 21, which latter are fastened to the outer sides of the members 1, as shown. These pins extend through openings 22 in the members l, and into the openings A23 in the members 16, thus locking the head rest in position. When the head rest is to be folded downwardly, Abetween the members 1, the springs 21 are pulled outwardly to disengage the pins 20 from the openings 23, in a manner that will be readily understood. A flexible seat and back member 24.is hung on the members 2, 6 and 7, in the manner shown, between the two sides of the chairfthus forming a sort of folding camp-chair. The legs formed by the lower portions of the members 1 and 4 are connected together at each sidev by toggle members 25 and 26, the two members being f pivoted together at 27, and vupon the chair legs at 28 and 29, as shown. The members 26, at each side of the chair, are each provided with a shoulder 30 for engaging the shoulder 31 on the adjacent member 25, so that the toggle-joint pivot 27 cannot move below the position shown in the drawings,

the two shoulders holdin the toggle against any further downwar movement. Obviously, the cross iece 5 keeps the supporting means 25 and 26 rom bucklmg upward when the chair is in use.

With the foregoing construction, the occupant of the chair may. rock back and forth, with a rocking-chair eect, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings. The forward movement is limited by the transverse bar 3, previously mentioned, on the portions of the members 1, forming a stop for the lower edges of the members 4, in the manner shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The folding rocking-chair thus constructed thevarious positions shown in Fig.3 ofthe drawings, so that the chair may be stored or shipped in convenient and compact condition.

As shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the side mem-` bers 1 have their inner sides provided with ribs 32, and the members 16 have their outer sides provided with grooves 33 to engage these ribs, and there being locking devices, one at each side, like the one shown in Fig.

6 of the drawingsv and previouslydescribed.

In this way, when the head rest is unlocked, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, it can be caused to slide downwardly between the members 1, instead of swinging downwardl in the manner previously explained. therwise the construction in Figs'. 7 and 8 is similar to .that

y previously described.

As a matter of still further and special improvement, the pivot joints 1,5. are each preferably of a frictional character, in order to prevent a too jerky motion of the rocking action, land. in order to assist in holding the chair in folded condition. As shown in Fig.

45, the pivot 15 has the spring tension or fric` tional means 34 interposed between the members 4 and 13, and these frictional means, of

any suitable character, such as spring washers held slightly under tension by the pivot bolt 15, serve to give the chair an easy,v

and slow rocking movement, and serve to assist in holding the chair in folded condition. But, of course, frictional means can be provided in these joints, or in any other 'oints of the chair, of any suitable character, 1f so desired.

It will be seen, therefore, that when the chair is in operation there are no movable parts on the floor-that is to say, there are no parts which move back and forth upon the floor. In other words, the lower ends of the portions 25 and 26 rest upon the floor, and the chair can rock back and forth without causing any sliding movement of these parts 25 and 26 upon the floor. This is of advantage of course, as it will prevent the wearing o holes in a carpet'or rug, and in add1tion makes the chair operative without any friction on a bare floor, and renders the chair more satisfactory in use.

Thus the upri ht members 1 form a stiff back and have ront legs rigid therewith, while the members 4 form a seat rigid with the rear legs, all four legs being pivoted at 28 and 29 on the articulated or toggle-like supportin means. j

t will e Iseen that the ltog le joints 27 are nearer the ends of the rear ags than the front legs, and are a distance in rear of the middle offeach stationary support, each support being formed by the two members 25 and 26, as previously explained. When the chair is folded, these toggle joint supports for the chair fold up as shown in Fig. 3, andare held between the bars or cross pieces 3 and 5, these cross pieces serving to thus limit the upward movement of the toggle joints relatively to the front and rear legs of thechalr, when the chair is folded. Thus the toggle joint supports for the chair, and the toggle joint arms forthe chair, all fold upwardly,

and the elements are so proportioned that the chair will fold compactly and very nearly flat, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

It will be seen that the toggle members 25 and 26 'extend a distance in front of the pivots 28 and a distance in rear of thepivots 29, so that the weight imposed on these pivots tends to keep the toggle joints from rising,

and such weight -exerts some leverage to keep the ivotal joints 27 in their lowest position.

l ithout disclaiming anything, and without prejudice to any novelty disclosed, what we claim as our invention is:

1. In a folding rocking chair, the combination of means forming a seat and back and front and rear legs, and means forming two stationary supports on the floor, upon which the front and rear legs are pivoted, each support comprising two laterally -overlapping sections forming a toggle joint between them, said joint having a pivot extending through the overlap, these supports each having 1ts front end pivoted to a front leg andits rear end pivoted to a rear leg, with a stop between each front vsupport and the front end of "the rear support, serving to limit the downward movement of the toggle joints and hold them in raised position a distance above the floor,

the chair back being rigid with the fronty legs, and the rear le s being rigid with the front edge portion 4o the seat.

2. A structure as specified in Yclaim 1, and a crosspiece connecting the two rear legs together, serving as a sto to limit the upward movement of the togg e joints relatively to the rear legs, and a cross piece on'the front le serving as a stop to limit 4the upward fo ding movement of the toggle -oints relatively to the front legs, when t e chair is folded. d

3. A structure as specified in claim 1, said tog le joints being nearer the lrear ends of sai supports than the front ends thereof, and foldin arm connections between the back and the si es of the seat portion of the chair, each arm connection having a toggle joint therein, permitting .rocking motion .of the lll) chair, and all of said toggle joints bein folduse, articulated supporting means formed by two laterally overlapping front and rear members pivoted together through the overlap at each side of the chair, upon which the legs of the chair are pivoted, adapted to remain stationary on the iioor during such for- Ward and back rocking motion, forming toggle joints adapted to fold and break joint upwardly when the frame is folded, a seat portion rigid with the rear legs, extending forward of the lower ends of the front legs, and a flexible seat and back member hung on said seat portion and back of the frame, said articulated supporting means being extended forward a distance to bear on the floor at points a distance in front of the lovver ends of the front legs, serving `tol keep the toggle joints from rising during rocking motion of the chair, said seat and back member being flexible to permit folding of said frame and said articulated supporting means in the de sired manner, with said front extensions 4of the articulated supfporting means forming.

and forth freely, with a mot-ion similar to an ordinary rocking chair, the -combination of frame members forming front legs rigid with l .a stiff back, frame members forming a seat rigid with rear legs, means movably connecttoggle joints, serving to keep the toggle 'I l' joints raised a distance from the floor, and

front extensions for said front toggle members, said extensions bearing upon the floor to prevent said toggle joints from rising during the rocking motion of the chair.

Specification signed this 31st day of October, 1925.

LEO O. BERGMANN. LEWIS P.. WALKER. 

